


One For Sorrow

by Scorpiokagamine



Series: Count the Magpies(Tale of Two Sons) [1]
Category: Big Hero 6 (2014)
Genre: Alive!Hiro, Alive!Tadashi, Incest, M/M, Sibling Incest, Sibling Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-08
Updated: 2014-12-08
Packaged: 2018-02-27 23:26:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2710529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scorpiokagamine/pseuds/Scorpiokagamine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His brother was back.</p><p>His brother Hiro, who opens his eyes for the first time on the anniversary of his death, which also ironically is his birthday.  Tadashi doesn't waste his breath yelling at whatever god thought it was funny to make things this confusing.  </p><p>Hiro, who is not only his brother, but Tadashi's first love.</p><p>You're my brother, Tadashi thinks. But he can't say that because he's pretty sure this Hiro will only toss his head back and laugh, thinking he said a joke. So he says the next best thing;</p><p>Nothing.</p><p>Tadashi mentally slaps himself and goes to open his mouth, but a strange thought pops up in his head. Its a question, and Tadashi isn't sure if he knows the answer to it.</p><p>Are you my brother?</p><p>(A/N:Not as sad as you think, I promise.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	One For Sorrow

**Author's Note:**

> 1) the character's Hiro and Honey Lemon in this fanfic are going to looks like their original selves. Hiro's is more of a combination of his comic version and the Disney version 9the Disney version being how he looked when he was younger, while the comic version is how he looks when he's older), while Honey Lemon is exactly as how she looks in the comic. I never read the comic, but I am personally am annoyed with how Honey Lemon looked in the Disney version, and think she looks better in the comic version (not because her clothes are slightly more revealing, but because it gives her more of a...charming(?) outlook.)
> 
> 2)Unbeta'd.

 

 

 

 

 

One for sorrow

Two for mirth  
Three for a funeral  
Four for a birth  
Five for heaven  
Six for hell

Seven's for a secret, never to be told.

 

 

 

 

 

 *

 

When he first hears that his brother is dead, Tadashi doesn't remember what he thinks. He only remembers what he _felt_.

The hot burning rage that boiled under his skin like water in the pot in his Aunt's kitchen. The resolution in the officers' voice when he said, "I'm sorry, but you're brother is dead," made his fists clench and his teeth grit against each other. He had to take a few deep breaths then to be slightly sure that he wouldn't dig his fingers into the man's face. His friends and classmates all watched as Tadashi closed his eyes and dropped his head in resignation, his shoulders dropping dangerously. They all came up to him individually and apologized to him- I'm sorry, Tadashi, for your loss- clueless of the pure anger and sadness inside of his head, the monster inside of all people that demanded to be set free and tear the whole world apart.

His friends left unread texts messages on his phone, offering their condolences and wishes of health. And the school gave him a few weeks into the semester to "get his things in order."What they really meant was they were giving him time; time to sink it all in. That he no longer needed to worry about waking someone else up in the early hours of the morning when he returned from a long day at the lab, that he didn't have to wake up another person who hated the morning just like he did.

His heart clenched painfully in the mornings when he brushed his teeth sleepily and mindlessly handed over the bottle of toothpaste to a waiting hand that wasn't there, when he murmured insistent words telling the nonexistent complaining voice that the room needed to be cleaned. And he broke down in tears when he passed the rice around the table at dinner, avoiding looking at the empty chairs on either side of the table. But the true heart break was when he was alone in his room at night, and whispered a good night to the awfully silent room.

The fact that the entire loft was his now wasn't as satisfying as Tadashi always dreamed it would be. The fact that he had all this space now bothered him, to the point where he refused to remove any of his brother's things. He refused the offers of his friend's and family members to help and got angry when they said it wasn't healthy. He knew that, he said to them. But he wasn't ready to let it all go yet. He wasn't ready to let go of any of it yet.

Tadashi had heard so many stories and read so many books that all told him that when someone dies, the world changes. But it doesn't; the sky was still blue in San Fransokyo. The days were just as hot as always, and the people were as evasive as ever. Cars sped by on busy streets, people went out for walks, his teachers still droned on about their lessons. Nothing had changed. Nothing was different, because to the world, Hiro was just another nobody. But for Tadashi, his brother had been everything.

He never would've admitted this to him, but all this...studying- staying up late, going to college, getting a job, making inventions- was to prove to his younger brother that he wasn't the useless, idiot older brother. When they were younger, Tadashi saw all the blessing his brother got in their genetics. Looks, brains, and determination. He saw the early potential Hiro had shown, and instead of being angry or jealous, Tadashi, like a good big brother, wanted to become an example. He wanted to be the one thing Hiro looked up to most in the world.

So he buckled down for the long ride and went to night school. He worked long shifts at different jobs for money to help his aunt pay for his brothers' education. Hiro was too young to remember, but Tadashi used to work himself to exhaustion during the day and studied while Hiro was at school. And when he was just about to nod off into sleep, his brother would come home and insist they play together. And then he went to night school, and came home just in time for breakfast, it was off to work again. Everyday. Work, study, play, school, and back again. Tadashi still wonders how he made it into college.

But it was worth it, coming home to Hiro and seeing his face light up. Seeing a smile on his baby brother's face made a strange warmth flow through Tadashi's chest and it remained for days on end. That, Tadashi remembers with a smile, is how he made it through night school and into college. Those smiles.

Now they were gone. Dead, just like Hiro was. 

It hurt. Everything reminded him of his brother. Even Baymax. The kind round robot he created to show to his brother was a painful reminder of all Tadashi had lost. Still, after a few months, he returned to school. The first day hurt the most; Baymax had insisted on scanning him, and Tadashi choked on a sob as he remembered thinking how much he wanted his brother to meet Baymax and how hard he had worked just to get the robot to say "May I scan you?"

He waved his hand when the voice program asked if he was alright and if he wanted to be scanned. He gasped out, "I am satisfied with my care, Baymax." The robot somehow learn to give a look of disbelief at his words while he was gone (probably learned it from Gogo) but complied, setting himself to sleep mode.

Tadashi tried to keep his breaths as quiet as possible while clenching a hand over his heart. He threw a hand out to hold onto a stray desk when he felt his legs weakened but still sunk to the floor anyway, his knees rising up to meet his chest. He wondered then when it would ever get easier.

 

**

 

It never did; two years later, and Tadashi is still looking out on rainy days and remembering how the rain made Hiro turn into a three year-old, curling up silently beside him on his bed and murmuring protests whenever Tadashi shifted away. He still disappears into the darkness of his- no, his _brother's_ and his- no, just _his_ \- room for weeks on end, drawing up the curtains again before lying down on Hiro's bed. His aunt would open the door-just a crack-but it was enough to see his shaking form and hear his sobs.

6 birthdays. 2 Christmases and 2 Thanksgivings. Tadashi never knew his country had so many holidays until he realized how many he can't celebrate anymore. And each time he passed a store and saw something he knew his brother would've enjoyed, his lip wobbled and his hand came up to tug his hat down to cover his watery eyes. It took him a year to walk into the store and buy the things, and another to wrap them in boxes and place them on Hiro's bed. He had never removed his brother's things, despite the protests of his friends. They told him it was unhealthy. He couldn't even work up the energy to get angry and snap at them anymore. He could only offer a small sad smile that made Wasabi, Fred, and Honey Lemon cry while Gogo looked away.

They never brought up the subject again.

Now, Tadashi was coming home from the lab, this time bringing Baymax. He figured that it was time to start welcoming another presence into the loft, and what better test subject than Baymax? The robot would be resting in his portable station, out of sight but not out of mind. It was the next best thing Tadashi could think of, beside never letting anyone in the room, ever. Because in his mind, the room was still a place where only he and his brother were allowed to be in.

With the robot here now, set up comfortably in front of the false wall separating the room, Tadashi began sifting through Hiro's things. He read different plans for fighting bots and huffed amusingly at the idea that he no longer needed to rescue his brother from dangerous bot battles before setting the papers aside. He held up proto-types of different inventions to the light and remembered fond memories of teaching Hiro how to build a robot in the first place. Then they were set aside as well while Tadashi dug further. A stray glance at Baymax told him the robot was still in power save mode.

And that's when the thought struck him.

What if-

 His eyes widened. Oh my God, he thought.

What if-

He stood up abruptly, papers floating and falling to settle down on the floor while Tadashi stared wildly at his walls.

What if-

He ran down the stairs then and out the door to the garage. His hands flew as he grabbed a paper and a pencil and began drawing up plans.

_What if he could re-create his brother, like he did Baymax?_

 

**

 

First Tadashi studied the entire anatomy and physiology of the human body. Every last muscle, every last cell, every last neuron, Tadashi memorized like the back of his hand. He studied the different systems and their functions, muttering the terms to himself as he ate his breakfast in a fury of cereal and milk and books. He took up classes like health and biology and studied the material as he made upgrades to Baymax. He even programed to robot to quiz him on the science of the human body while he worked.

Then he took his newfound knowledge and added it to his previous knowledge of machinery and created prototypes of human bodies, each one an improvement to the last. In 6 months, he had created 5 proto-types, crafted a new formula to a material that felt similar to skin and flesh but was ten times stronger, discovered and refined the art of automail, studied prosthetic limbs, all while keeping up in his classes. And upgrading Baymax. And keeping his friends and family from finding out what he was doing. By the time the third year had rolled around, he felt confident that he wouldn't mess up. So promptly, he headed to the hospital that his brother currently resided in.

His brother had always wanted his body to be used for science. He never wanted his body to be buried, because he saw no point to it. Why leave your body to earth worms and maggots when you can help research cures for cancer? Still, Tadashi privately asked the scientists to keep his brother's body frozen. And he was glad he did that; it would be harder to do this with a pile of bones and ash.

In the dead of night, he removed his brother's body secretly. It was easy to get past the guards, and the security system as complete crap anyway. A toddler could easily hack into the system and unlock the door. The only tricky part was getting his brother's body out, and then figuring out how to place him on his motorcycle. Tadashi ended up simply cradling his brother in his arms and riding off into the night.

The whole ride back into the garage was filled with his brother's frozen touches and icy skin. Tadashi refused to look at the wounds and injuries that lead to his brother's death and laid him gently in the temporary morgue he had built in the garage. He let his fingers touch the soft hair in a silent promise before closing the small door. He pulled on his safety goggles then and began.

 

***

 

 

 

 After a few fails, he finally gets it right. Now all that's left is to have patience and wait. Tadashi isn't sure for how long, but he does know that for Hiro, he'd wait forever.

 

 

 

****

 

Thankfully, Tadashi's words aren't put to the test. He does have to wait a year; a year filled with him coming home from the lab and reading bedtime stories to Hiro when he can, checking his vitals, making sure his invention is working correctly. Baymax conducts several scans of Hiro and concluded that there is nothing wrong with him, and that all they need is time. Tadashi releases a sigh of relief every time and thanks Baymax for putting up with him.

He also starts using his knowledge to connect his memory to his computer. No one really knew this, not even Hiro, but Tadashi possess an eidetic and photographic memory. Using his intelligence, Tadashi basically, in simplest terms, makes copies of all his memories, records them, and saves them into a small file. He knows no one would ever believe him if he ever tried to explain, so he doesn't. Not that it mattered anyway if people understood how he did it; all that mattered was Hiro.

His brother Hiro, who opens his eyes for the first time on the anniversary of his death, which also ironically is his birthday.  Tadashi doesn't waste his breath yelling at whatever god thought it was funny to make things confusing and instead fuses over Hiro, who only blinks up at him blankly. Tadashi smiles at him and says hello.

He knew better. He knew that not everything could go his way. And yet, it still hurts when Hiro responds in his old voice- _oh, how Tadashi missed his brother's voice_ \- a cold hello. Then his chest is hammered by Hiro's question on where he was, and who Tadashi was. He smiles painfully and responds just as he practiced; Hiro was in Tadashi's garage, after he had found the boy lying dead on the side of a road. Tadashi explained to Hiro how he had brought him back to life.

Hiro understands immediately, and even asks questions on his work. And that's how Tadashi knows his brother is back. He catches him when Hiro makes a move to stand up too quickly and only falls into Tadashi's arms. Tadashi then holds him tightly to his chest, in his mind making promises to never let Hiro go ever again. Hiro tries to push him away but is too weak to do so. He asks Tadashi to let him go politely and he obliges after squeezing him close once more, chuckling shamefully while apologizing and saying he got too excited, because his invention had worked and he was glad Hiro was okay.

Hiro's dark eyes looks past Tadashi's body and into his very soul. "Okay," is all he says.

Tadashi then offers a bed in his room and before Hiro can even reply grabs his wrist and races him into the shop. He drags his newly born baby brother up the stairs and runs straight into their-his-Aunt Cass, who hold a bowl of-something-in her hands.  She smiles and opens her mouth to say something to Tadashi before her jaw nearly falls to the floor and her bowl slips from her hands. She covers her mouth then as horror fills her eyes as she looks from Tadashi to Hiro and back again. "What is the meaning of this-" She nearly shouts.

"Hiro, go up to my room," Tadashi interrupts, turning to Hiro. "You'll find an empty bed up there." Hiro looks to Aunt Cass, unsure, but a reassuring nod and a little grin from Tadashi makes him smile and run up the stairs. Aunt Cass and Tadashi watch him go before turning to look to each other. "That better be one of the seven people in this world that look like Hiro, Tadashi," Aunt Cass growls. "Or you're in big-"

"It's him." Tadashi says simply. "Aunt Cass, it's him."

Aunt Cass's eyes widen in shock and she stares at Tadashi in amazement before turning back to look at the stairs, the opens Hiro just ran up like he used to. "You mean-"

"I brought him back."

"How-"

"Not important." Tadashi warns, and Aunt Cass nods before reaching for a pastry. "Aunt Cass, I have to tell you something. He doesn't-"

"Remember me, yes, I know," She finishes. "He...used to give me this smile whenever I saw him." Her eyes are far away. He catches a small glistening drop race down her cheek.

Tadashi looks down at his feet in guilt. "I'm sorry." he murmurs. A hand to his shoulder makes him look up. Kind, warm eyes, the kind of eyes belong only to a mother, greet his. "Don't be sorry," She says. "For using your abilities and taking a problem in your life and fixing it, never be sorry for that." Tadashi nods. "Now go. Its late." She says, swatting his behind when he moves past her like he was twelve again. He grins cheekily at her before stealing a donut and racing up the stairs.

He opens the door to find Hiro sprawled out on his old bed, papers surrounding him. And Tadashi's chest pangs at the old familiar sight of his brother lying on his bed, working studiously on the blueprints of his next bot. His hand flies to his chest and his fingers rub gently over his heart in an attempt to alleviate the pain. But his heart all but stops when Hiro looks over his shoulder at him and give him a devilish smirk. "Yo! You got a brother or something? 'Cause, if you do, he's a really smart kid," He waves the papers around in example.

  _You're my brother,_ Tadashi thinks. But he can't say that because he's pretty sure this Hiro will toss his head back and only laugh, thinking he said a joke. So he says the next best thing;

Nothing.

He shrugs at Hiro's question and moves to grab the papers. He doesn't look Hiro in the eye while he puts the papers away. "It's late, you must be tired-"

"Wait! You didn't answer my question!" Hiro tells him. _That's because you're my brother._

Tadashi still doesn't look at him. He reaches over to grab a paper, but a hand comes out to grab his wrist. He shivers at the warm touch. "Tadashi?" Hiro finally says his name for the first time, and Tadashi's heart warms and grows three sizes at the sound. He pulls back to look at Hiro before tugging his hat over his eyes. "My brother..." his voice cracks. _My brother...where is he?_ Tadashi hesitates, his mind moving a mile a minute. _Where is my brother?_

Tadashi mentally slaps himself and goes to open his mouth, but a strange thought pops up in his head. Its a question, and Tadashi isn't sure if he knows the answer to it.

_Are you my brother?_

He opens his mouth still. "My brother...left a long time ago." He gives Hiro one of his sad smiles that makes even Gogo look away. "It's only been me and Aunt Cass since then."

"Oh." Hiro's eyes have lost their bright fire, and he releases Tadashi's hand gently. They stand close together for a moment, both barely a breath away from each other. Hiro looks up at Tadashi, who can only look away. Then one of them-both wouldn't be able to recall who it was later-cleared his throat, and it was as if a strange blanket had been lifted. Tadashi moved away to put the box down and grabbed a pair of Hiro's old pajamas. He tosses them at Hiro wordlessly and says good night before disappearing into his side of the room.

He curls up on his bed and pulls the covers over himself, his knees cradling his chest. He bites his lip to hide its wobble and clenches his fingers to hide their trembling.

_You're my brother._

 

****

 

His brother was back.

its later, when Tadashi learns that his brother was never really back. But for now, he allows himself to believe in the lie.

His brother was back.

Aunt Cass doesn't say anything about Hiro's old life. She doesn't try to pry or ask questions she knows this Hiro wouldn't know the answers to, and simply joins in on Tadashi's pretending. She only asks one question- who was she to Hiro- and Hiro only shrugged before taking a large bite of his sandwich. She looked to Tadashi who only shook his head and nodded, looking down to nibble at the pieces of salad on her fork. Tadashi pats her knee reassuringly under the table in apology.

She also takes over the task of telling Tadashi's closest friends about the situation. They stop by almost immediately, and stare at Hiro in disbelief. Gogo is the first one to turn her gaze from the boy wonder and glare at idiot genius that made this. She yells at him for hours in the garage, lecturing him on what he has done. He sits there and takes it all, offering small grins to Honey Lemon when she looks over at him. Wasabi is deathly silent, not stating his opinion in the matter, while Fred- Fred, of courses, thinks its all cool.

The storm blows over quickly though, and he has his friends back- or maybe he had them all along, he just didn't realize it. He stands while Gogo is still lecturing him and wraps his arms around her warmly. Her rant chokes to a stop, and she tries to resist, but Tadashi is too strong- he's always been too strong for her to shake off, that's how he got her into the labs in the first place- so she's forced to grumble, "You're a big idiot," before turning in his arms to hug him back.

He nods and chuckles at that. But the chuckle turns into a sob quickly as the full weight of what he's done hits him. It settles on his shoulders painfully, and he starts to cry. Gogo seems to understand-she always does- and simply holds him closer, letting him cry into her leather jacket. Tadashi feels more warm bodies surround him and knows Fred and Honey Lemon and Wasabi had joined in the hug too, silently offering their loyalty and friendship again.

When they first meet Hiro, Honey Lemon bursts into tears and has to leave the room. Hiro looks after her in concern, but Wasabi and Gogo reassure him that it wasn't his fault. She's a little emotional, Wasabi explained. It's been a stressful few days. Tadashi frowns at Gogo when he hears that and she shakes her head at him, mouthing _later._ Tadashi gives her a promising look but doesn't push further because he's distracted by the conversation Fred, Wasabi, and Hiro are having.

What are you planning to do? they ask. Hiro tells them he plans on finding his family. Tadashi's chest, for the seventh time this past week, hollows. How? Hiro says he can't remember much about his life, but what he can remember is a warmth, like the heat of summer, and believes its his family. Wasabi scoffs at that, but Fred's eyes are wide. How do you know that? he asks Hiro. Hiro himself gives him a small smile and a far away look.

It...it just feels too warm to be anything but human, he says. He can remember robots, he can remember math equations and science, and they all feel cold. Cold and metallic. But this memory- in this memory, a warm hand is holding him, wrapping him up in loving heat. Kind of like being wrapped up in a blanket after getting soaked in snow and rain, Hiro explains. Fred's eyes widen further and become dreamy, while Wasabi closes his eyes and smiles. Gogo, too, has a small content smirk on her face. And from the corner of his eye, Tadashi can see Honey Lemon peeking her head around the door.

They began to drag Hiro to places-old hang outs Tadashi always knew his brother would enjoy but never got to show him. After learning the Hiro's memories only consisted of math equations and the science of robots and likewise, and had no memory of things like food or going places like the library or the park, his friends all agreed to help him out. Fred and Honey Lemon would later claim to have given Hiro the idea, but it was actually Wasabi that told Hiro to make a list of first experiences. Hiro wrote down all the things he never experienced and made it a goal to accomplish them someday.

The first thing Hiro wrote down was "spend the day sleeping." Tadashi rolled his eyes amusingly but obliged, not bothering Hiro as he slept on his bed.

The next thing was "Eat McDonalds for 30 days," which also made Tadashi roll his eyes again.

It went on from there. The wishes at first were ridiculous, such as "watch TV for three whole days," "sing in the shower," "annoy Aunt Cass," to dangerous-"get into a bot fight," before they started to truly mean something. "Make a dessert with Aunt Cass," which only ends up with the two like-minded loud personalities covered in filling and frosting, smashing cakes into each others faces. Hiro laughs, and for the first time in almost forever, Aunt Cass smiles for real. It tiny; barely a whisper of the real thing, but it catches Tadashi's eye and make him stare at her purple jelly and pink frosting covered face.

Of course, Hiro's face is no different, only his is a deep blue jelly, green frosting, and a chocolate cake is hanging off his nose and mouth. But he smiles, one of those old smiles from Tadashi's youth that makes his chest warm from deep within and remains within him all the while he cleans the kitchen. (The culprits themselves busy taking showers and thinking of ways to make it up to him. Despite how angry he looked when he lectured them, Tadashi couldn't keep the smile off his face at their remorse faces covered in desserts.)

Hiro writes down a few more ridiculous things on his list before writing a meaningful one again. Although, Tadashi can beg to differ, because helping Wasabi clean and organizes his lab station and house is not what he classifies as meaningful (crazy, more like it), but he won't deny the little grin on his face when he sees the pair working together in silence, Hiro handing tools and objects when Wasabi hold out his hand. They draw lines and shapes of objects together, and Hiro even goes so far as to join in Wasabi's scolding when Gogo steals one of his tools.

Honey Lemon laughs at the sight; a seventeen year old boy trapped in a fourteen year olds body shouting alongside Wasabi at a adrenaline-junkie who's not even listening to them. Tadashi snorts as well, hands in his long coat. His eyebrows raise further when Hiro stomps over to snatch the tool from Gogo's hands, and they sky rocket to the roof when all the girl does is glare at him, scoff, and throws the tool into his arms. Wasabi's jaw falls to the floor, and so does Honey Lemon's, while Hiro gives her a toothy grin.

Tadashi catches Gogo's eyes and raises his brows again. She shrugs and adverts her gaze. Tadashi removes a hand to tug his hat over his eyes, to cover his knowing smile.

Hiro then goes back to Wasabi's side and they wordlessly return to their silent companionship. Tadashi moves further into the shadows from which he had hidden himself in while he was watching the pair. Gogo had been the only one in the room aware of his presence, and Fred was busy with his mascot job. Tadashi heads silently back into his lab to do some upgrades to Baymax, unaware of Hiro's frown when he stared at the one spot Tadashi was previously. Wasabi looks up when he notices Hiro pause. "What's up?" he asks. Hiro looks to him, and quickly looks back. "I thought-I mean- I thought I saw...someone..." Hiro stammers out. Wasabi frowns and looks around Hiro to the place he was looking. "I don't see anyone." The tall man says.

"Must've been my imagination, heh," Hiro says awkwardly. Wasabi pierces him with his warm brown gaze before turning back, apparently letting the matter slide. Hiro mentally thanks him.

Hiro then begins to show a fascination to the lab, and to his friends. Tadashi doesn't mind sharing his brother or his friends anymore- he just wants them all to be happy. So he leaves them to themselves, disappearing into his private lab station whenever he brings Hiro over, wordlessly telling the others he was not to be bothered. Honey Lemon is the one who is allowed to breach the rule for certain reasons; she gives him updates. About Hiro, and how he's adjusting to his new life. She tells him they go to the beach and to amusement parks and to the mall and that Hiro was an excellent flier in the simulation games and he likes the color blue and-

She talks on about Hiro as if he doesn't know about his own brother. And in some ways, he doesn't. He doesn't know what Hiro is like around people when he isn't around, nor does he really know this new Hiro, so he smiles and nods, and tells Honey Lemon to keep talking. Because its was keeping them both sane, in a way; Honey learning that Hiro being back wasn't as startling, and it kept Tadashi from going loony in his dark lab with only robots for company. (Don't get him wrong though. He will always love his creations as children, he just needed another human's voice to hear sometimes.)

 

****

 

"Hiro," the boy jumps at the sound of Baymax's voice and turns around. "H-hey, Baymax-"

The robot tilts his head. "What is it that you are doing?" Hiro hides his hands behind his back. "Nothing-"

"You're heart rate levels are up, and several hormones are signaling throughout your body," the robot informs. "You are lying." Hiro looks down. "What is it you are hiding behind your back?"

He hesitates. Then, "I-I just- I just wanted to see what was so important that makes him lock himself into his lab," Hiro explains sheepishly, though a temper was hinted at with his tone. Baymax doesn't even bat an eye- he means, _sensor_. "This 'him' you are referring to is Tadashi, correct? Since this is his lab?"

"Yes, Baymax," Hiro says impatiently. "I thought, since he wasn't here-"

"Tadashi is here," says Baymax. Hiro jumps. "Don't play me like that, Baymax," Hiro warns. "Tadashi isn't here-"

"But he is," the robot informs. "Tadashi is here." Then his stomach begins to show video of a healthier looking Tadashi bathed in warm summer light. He holds up a scene take boards and starts to talk, a familiar smile that Hiro can't remember Tadashi ever doing before on his face, a strange well-known warmth that makes Hiro think of his memory he is convinced is of his family. His eyes widen, and he moves closer to get a better view.

 

****

 

I think he has a crush on me, she says one day, making Tadashi drop his wrench. It clatters to the floor as he stares at he wide-eyed. "W-h-how-?" His voice comes out chokes because his throat closed, so he coughs and tries again. "How do you know that?" She smiles at him and pats his hand. A woman knows these kinds of things, she tells him. He stills looks at her bewilderedly. She laughs, and it sounds like the trill of morning birds.

He's still torn over you, though, she muses. She looks up at him. He misses you, Tadashi. He misses his older brother. We all miss you, a lot- but Hiro, I think, misses you the most. She hints. He rarely sees you anymore.

I see him every morning when I wake up, Honey, Tadashi says. I see him when I get dressed, when we eat breakfast, and when we eat dinner and go to bed. I see him all the time.

Not like that, Tadashi. She says. And we both know you just hole yourself up in your room when you're at home, just like you do at the lab. When was the last time you went outside?

Yesterday, he wants to tell her, but doesn't. Yesterday, at the park-he had followed his friends while they went on a picnic in the public park. He stood a good distance away with Baymax leaning on a tree while the group played Frisbee and Wasabi screamed and hid behind Gogo when a dog caught their Frisbee and ran it over to them. Hiro had laughed and retrieved it, throwing the Frisbee again and telling the dog, "Go fetch!" Tadashi had never before taken Hiro for a dog person.

His brother had really grown; gone were his glasses, and his hair became more managed. He still had that gangly look to him that probably made all the girls go crazy, and Tadashi remembers he had chuckled deeply at the thought that his brother had gotten his good looks from him. Baymax had only tilted his head at Tadashi and remained quiet. Tadashi is sure the robot had done a scan of him then.

Still, he hesitates, and Honey Lemon grins in triumph. That's what I mean, she says, taking his hand. He may not think of you as his brother anymore, but he still looks up to you as a mentor. He wants your approval, Tadashi. He needs it- he just doesn't know it, Honey Lemon explains. Tadashi looks at her blankly and she sighs. Just think it over, okay? And she leaves then, gold-spun hair shimmering in the light of the room.

He does think about it; as he lays in his bed, looking up at the glow in the dark stars he and Hiro had glued to the ceil when they were kids, the current Hiro asleep in the other bed. Baymax remains in his sleep mode beside Tadashi's bed, and Mochi rests on his stomach. He strokes the cat gently as he thinks. Then he turns over as his thoughts start to enflame and fight with each other, until Mochi hisses lightly in irritation and moves to the other person in the room. Tadashi tosses and turns a few more times before groaning and figures he'll just sleep on it.

In the morning, however, instead of being awoken by an _annoyingly_  bright sun, Tadashi is greeted with a heavy gray sky. He blinks at it in confusion, rubbing his eyes child-like, before answering the soft vibration of his phone beside him. Its his aunt. She's calling to tell him that the weatherman says its going to rain heavily outside for the next few days, and it was unsafe to go driving outside at all. She tells him she had spent the night at a friend's house, and would be remaining there until the storm passes.

There was enough food to last them quite a long time, she informs him. And then she tells him to not open the shop, but instead cover it up with some wood boards from the back. It might be up to 3 feet in rain. Then she tells him there's emergency money under her panda statue in her room, so if there were any problems, Tadashi would know where to find solutions. He nods and hums in response whenever she pauses. Then he asks her if she thinks it a hurricane of some kind. She tells him no, and that its just a lot of much needed rain-San Fransokyo had been going through some long droughts recently, so people are more welcoming to the rain.

She tells him good-bye then, and makes kissy noises until he rolls his eyes and tells her he loves her before hanging up. He moves then to get up, but a hand from under his sheets shoots up and grabs onto his wrist. Startled, Tadashi looks down and lifts the sheets to reveal the half-lidded gaze and sheepish smile of his brother, Hiro. Its then; right then, Tadashi learns his brother was never really back. his body and mind might've been back, as well as his heart, but not his _soul._ And that's what had off-put Tadashi from the start and made him become so distant.

But right then, right then- Hiro was really back. His brother- _Tadashi's brother_ -was really back.

This was his Hiro. Hiro, Tadashi's brother, who cuddles with him on rainy days and hates the mornings as much as he does. His brother Hiro, who is bad at eating with chopsticks but tries because Tadashi can do it, and whose hand waits for the toothpaste after he uses it in the mornings. Who light snores and loud breaths fill the empty silence the loft had been before he came back. His brother Hiro, who follows his example and sleeps in only his boxers, and complains when Tadashi tells him the room needs to be cleaned. Hiro, who makes the sun shine brighter than before and makes the cars speed faster and people look more lovely as they walk on the streets.

His brother Hiro, who investigates Baymax enthusiastically when he first meets him, who's impressed with his lab and his friends. Hiro, whose able to take all the pain off Tadashi's chest and shoulders and replace it with a warmth Tadashi never knew he missed so much. His smile that Tadashi swears is ten times brighter than the sun when he's around (and not because of the toothpaste). His brother Hiro, who takes to robot designing and modeling like the master he is. Who makes mistakes and pouts over them until Tadashi flips him over and tells him to look at it differently. Hiro, who is Tadashi's brother.

"Can we stay here for a minute or two?" Hiro asks sleepily, shifting his body to lie beside Tadashi's. "I'm really sleepy for some reason..." he plops his head down on the white sheet, offering a small pleading gaze to Tadashi. Tadashi, who stares back at him blankly as his mind slows to an utter stop. "Sure," he doesn't know how he says the single word without choking up, but he doesn't question it further. He only moves back under the covers and makes sure Hiro is wrapped up completely before laying back. His back rests against his head board.

He thinks he can do this. This-sit here beside Hiro, and accept that his brother was really back. It'll be fine. Tadashi can do this. But then Hiro moves and rests his head over Tadashi's heart- as simple as that-and he thinks he has no other option than this Hiro _is_ his brother.

And he can _never_ tell him.

Tadashi's heart skips a beat at the thought. He isn't sure if Hiro hears it, or if he just chalks it off for something else. Tadashi may never know, so he stops worrying about it. Instead he wraps his arms around Hiro-which his brother is surprised at, Tadashi can tell, from the way his eyes shot open- and pulls him closer. And then Hiro's eyes fall half-lidded again, and he moves even closer- close as their two bodies can be without overstepping the boundaries of siblings. Then Tadashi sighs.

They stay like that for a while. Both don't care to check the clock or keep a record of the time. They simply lay together; Tadashi starts to trace his fingers up and down Hiro's arms and his brother's eyes closes, and soon enough he falls asleep. Tadashi slips out of the bed and dresses quickly to take care of the chores Aunt Cass gave him. The rain had already started, but nothing to serious, so he plowed through and got the boards up. There weren't any customers to worry about either- Tadashi figures that's because of the rain.

He keeps his comings and goings quiet, hammering gently and closing the door slowly as to not wake Hiro up, even if he was three stories above him. And Tadashi is allowed a few moments to himself to think. Think about how his brother was finally his brother, but he could never know.

Hiro, when he was brought back, was originally supposed to live for only a few days. Enough time, Tadashi had thought, for him to say all the things he had wanted to say and do all the things he had wanted to do. But somehow his brother's mind had overcome Tadashi's theory and proved him wrong. Tadashi isn't foolish enough to think this was all his doing- his brother's brain was even more intelligent than his was. He would be blind if he didn't recognize that.

Tadashi also knows that Hiro's brain can't keeping going on like this. He had, in the cold darkness of his lab, studied even further into Hiro's case. Even a brain as smart as and durable as Hiro's had proven to be, it couldn't continue on much further. And even with all his protection, Tadashi knew it was futile, since Hiro can just as easily get into another accident. So he had two options, to tell Hiro and face the music, or to never tell him, and continue with his lie until Hiro couldn't go on anymore.

Tadashi had never kept secrets from his brother before. Well, not one of this magnitude, obviously. Little things can slip by, but he's sure his brother wouldn't let this one go. Not for a long time. Which was the sad part, because Tadashi estimated Hiro had only five more years.

So, Tadashi thought, leaning up after hammering the last nail. He stretches his back and cracks his neck gently. Only one option then.

" 'Dashi?" He hears a sleepy voice behind him. Its only Hiro, though, come to see what Tadashi was doing out of bed. "What're you doing?" Hiro rubs his eyes childishly, and Tadashi catches the small teddy bear from his bed in Hiro's hand from the corner of his eye. He smiles a little at that. "Putting some boards up. Aunt Cass said there's a storm coming." Hiro gives a tiny nod. "Need help?"

"No, thanks," Tadashi says. "I just finished." He rubs Hiro's head and moves to put the tools away. Hiro watches him leave, and when he comes back, Hiro's gone up the stairs and retrieved a blue blanket of his covered in pandas. It may be girly, Hiro had said when he bought it, but it'll be warm, and that's what I need. Tadashi still just thinks he has a strange obsession with pandas, like Aunt Cass. One way to see how they're in common. He moves around the red counter in the kitchen to wash his hands. Hiro moves to stand in front of the counter and watches him in silence.

Then, "You always do that." Hiro murmurs.

"What? Wash my hands?" Tadashi teases.

"No!-Yes!-wait-I mean-stop confusing me!" Hiro whines. Tadashi laughs. Hiro growls.

"You always...ignore me." Hiro tells him then, sobering the mood.

Tadashi turns off the sink and looks at him, his head tilting slightly.

"I try to hang around you, but you just...decline my attempts, pat me on the head, and disappear somewhere." Hiro adverts his gaze and tugs the blanket around himself further. Tadashi can't help but think its cute. "It makes me wonder if..." he trail off then, and Tadashi wonders what the rest of his sentence is. So he asks.

"If?"

Hiro blushes and looks down at his shuffling feet. "You..."

Tadashi nudges him further. "Me?"

Hiro's face is as red as a fresh apple in the market.

"Hate me..."

Silence.

Hiro looks up shyly.

Tadashi's hands tighten into fists.

"Because..." Hiro bits his lip in hesitation, and it sparks a strange warmth in Tadashi's stomach.

"I'm in love with you."

Tadashi's eyes widen in surprise.

"I've...been in love with you, and you found out." Hiro bites his lips then.

Tadashi stands there, dumbstruck, jaw fallen open as he stares at Hiro. His brother blushes and adverts his gaze again, and Tadashi notes that his hands are shaking. "I, uh," Hiro says. "I'm...

"I'm sorry..." And he moves to run up the stairs, but he can't, because Tadashi has moved around the counter quickly and grabs his wrists. "You-" Tadashi says, his throat closed. "You...love...me?" Tears glistening his eyes, Hiro nods. "I love you." Hiro says, a smile on his face that looks similar to the ones he gave his friends years ago and the one he gave him a year ago. "I love you, Tadashi." A tear fall downs his face then, glistening like a twinkling star on a white night before disappearing over the edge. "How?" Tadashi asks.

Tadashi slow releases his wrist, and Hiro shifts to stand in front of him. "It...it was a while back," Hiro explains shyly. "Back when we were in the lab. We were fixing up Gogo's machine together. You...had motor oil on your cheek," Hiro grins sheepishly at the floor and scratches lightly at the area Tadashi assumes the oil had been. "You're hat was gone, and...it just felt so right, you know? Like I was supposed to be there." Tadashi's heart deflates. He realizes this whole time its been pounding in his chest. Oh. He didn't love him, he just-

"It wasn't just because of that," Hiro goes on to explain. Tadashi's heart flutters. "When we go out to eat, and you're there, it feels perfect. And whenever you smile at me or say something to me, my heart throbs." He reaches forward and grabs Tadashi's hands, putting it to his pale chest. "Like this," Hiro says. And indeed, Hiro's heart is beating powerfully under Tadashi's hand, almost as if its calling to him. He stares at the spot where his hand touches as Hiro keeps talking.

"Whenever I'm around you, the sky seems clearer. The sun shines brighter, and the cars speed by faster, I think," Hiro muses. "And its not so lonely at night when you here instead of at the lab." Tadashi looks up to see Hiro close his eyes. "I think...that's how I realized I love you." He opens his eyes and meets Tadashi's stone gaze and frozen features with a quiet smile. His hand reaches up to lay his fingers over his cheek. "You even look handsome even now," Hiro whispers, his fingers lightly tracing over his nose and eyes. Tadashi closes his eyes and leans into Hiro's hand, breathing his scent. The scent of Hiro.

 

*****

 

The scent of Hiro, which surrounds Tadashi as he leans down and lifts Hiro off his feet. The smell of-not robots and motor oil that Hiro is always around-but of strangely fresh blossoms, the car scent Tadashi remembers Aunt Cass always buys because its in the shape of humming bird. He remembers it because of a Christmas long ago, when they didn't have the shop and couldn't afford ornaments, so they gathered old car scents Aunt Cass saved and put them on the tree. Tadashi loved looking at the tree the most because it was covered in tiny flip flops and surfboards, with little dolphins leaping over bead strings that Aunt Cass had found somewhere. But what he loved most was the purple and blue hummingbird pair hung in the heart of the tree.

They had smelled just like Hiro does, as he lays him on the bed. Tadashi wipes the tears coming from Hiro's eyes and wraps him in a blanket while he undresses himself down to his boxers.  Then he climbs into bed with him, and Hiro gasps because he doesn't expect Tadashi to wrap his arms around Hiro and kiss him on the forehead. He kisses him on the cheeks and the nose while Hiro says, "Does this mean-"

Tadashi quiets him with a kiss on the lips. It moist, because Hiro was crying only seconds earlier. Tadashi still sucks Hiro's lip in and nibbles on it softly. Hiro openly weeps and responds to the kiss passionately.

Hiro, who is not only his brother, but Tadashi's first love. He can say that, because with his eidetic and photographic memory he can't remember a time when he loved someone more than Hiro. Not Susan from across the row back in high school, whose quiet smiled gave Tadashi warmth but failed to keep it there. Not Rena, whose spit -fire personality and the way she drank in his early days of college. And not the rest of his meager amount of relationships could compare or even prepare him for how he felt now. 

Towards Hiro, who is his treasure, and who looks up at him with wide innocent eyes as Tadashi removes and drags the sheets over himself. _Takara._ Treasure. _Takara, Takara, Takara._ His mind murmurs the phrase as he places his lips on Hiro's neck. He hears him release a shaky breath, and feels arms wrap around him. Hiro had grown taller, yes, but he's still more than a head shorter than Tadashi, and weighed the exact same as he did at 14. His beautiful black hair, as Tadashi found, was actually more of a deep dark murky brown, a kind of shade you wouldn't find in any Crayola box, no matter how big. _Takara._

_Sukida yo._

_ "What...?"  _ Hiro hisses, and Tadashi realizes he's spokenthe  words aloud. He says the words again, because Hiro can't understand them. " _Takara sukida yo. Sukida yo."_ he whispers softly into Hiro's ear as his fingers slip the blanket away. He hears Hiro gasp as Tadashi's fingers feel about his skin. Tadashi smiles and goes to say the words again- but instead he gasps too, because Hiro moves his fingers as well, and he's not hesitant about where he touches. "Hiro- _Takara_ , _aishiteru yo, Takara-oh..."_ he groans as Hiro touches his body curiously. Hiro's eyes widen even further. 

Seeing them, Tadashi groans again and allows his Takara to experiment with his body. He pretty sure Hiro knows how the body works, but living around robots probably isn't much of a help. So he shoves his face into the pillow and tries to keep his hands from touching Hiro while his brother investigates his body, finding all the good spots to touch and how to apply pressure and where to- _oh._ Tadashi bites his lip, and his hands clench into fists on either side of Hiro's head. His Takara giggles, and, pissed, Tadashi silences him with a kiss that Hiro eagerly accepts and returns. 

Hiro's fingers move further, and Tadashi groans before turning them over so that Tadashi is on his back, and Hiro is sitting in his lap. He leans on his headboard as his Takara runs his fingers over his body, satisfying his curiosity and the newly awakened arousal within Tadashi's body. He groans and covers his eyes, but Hiro reaches for his hands and places them on his body.

Tadashi lets them fall away.

Hiro picks them up again.

Tadashi bites his lip and relents, moving his palms over his Takara's body as if he's fragile, as if he'd break. Hiro pouts and moves his hips in a teasing way that makes Tadashi groan again. He touches Hiro with passion, fulfilling his Takara's wishes. He smiles at Tadashi; with his smile that's ten times brighter than the sun. Tadashi smiles back, with his own smile reserved for only his brother-and now love-Hiro. Then he rolls them back over and presses his lips to the exposed skin before him. Hiro keens and hums at him, fingers lost in Tadashi's hair. " _Kiseki..."_ Tadashi murmurs, and presses the word into the skin of Hiro's hip. " _Kiseki Takara- Takara aishiteru yo-Kiseki Takara...."_ He whispers roughly and kisses each word into Hiro's skin, moving down further and further.

" _Kokoro,"_ Hiro whispers.

Tadashi looks up at him, who stares at the ceiling.

" _Watashi no Kokoro, Tadashi..."_ Hiro whispers, moving his gaze ot look down at him. His Takara smiles. Tadashi moves up to look him face-to-face. " _Takara,"_ Tadashi says, his voice filled with wonder. He places his hand over Hiro's chest.

" _Kokoro,"_ Hiro affirms, placing his hand over Tadashi's heart.

" _Watashi no Takara,"_

_"Watashi no Kokoro."_

_"Kuso,"_ Tadashi curses softly. " _Watashi Kiseki."_

Hiro nods, smile on his face. " _A-aishiteru, Tadashi_." He says then.

" _Aishiteru, Kokoro..."_ Then Tadashi falls on him and kisses him passionately, and they roll over the bed. They murmur the phrases as they are joined, body to body, soul to soul, and heart to heart.

" _Kokoro_ ," Hiro pants.

" _Takara_ ," Tadashi answers just as breathlessly.

 

 *****(*)

Tadashi, Hiro asks after, wrap up in his arms. Can I ask you something?

 Tadashi hums. He kisses Hiro on the head, and considers kissing further.

Its about Baymax, Hiro says. Tadashi hums again and presses light kisses on his Takara's face. Um...

What is it? Tadashi asks, humor in his tone. He's thinking about initiating a round two.

 Why am I- Tadashi kisses Hiro before he can get the sentence out. Hiro smacks him lightly on the shoulder and he leans back. He kisses Hiro's face again while Hiro talks.

Why am I in the video? He asks. Tadashi opens his mouth to answer, but Hiro continues.

What I mean is, why did you say my name when you finished making Baymax? 

Tadashi stills.

I can't wait to show you to Hiro, you said. Hiro says. Why did you say that?

Tadashi is frozen, a living statue.

Tadashi? Hiro says, nudging him. Tadashi?

 "Tadashi?"

*****(**)

 

-End of Part One

**Author's Note:**

> Heads up: if you guys would like, I might just write a sequel, but keep in mind it might take a while to get out. If you want
> 
> And okay. Maybe I lied about the whole it's not as sad as you think. Just a little.


End file.
